The Orange County Criminal Lawyer Blog
A 60-year-old Florida man was taken into custody after the police said he struck his roommate with a grocery bag during a dispute over space in an Uber.
The Uber driver reportedly told police that the roommate had not touched or hit the other man during the incident. Instead, he said he watched the man use a Walmart bag containing what appeared to be a tub of ice cream to strike his roommate in the face. The driver reported that he believed the accused man was the aggressor in the confrontation.
The dispute took place outside a Walmart in Ocala where the two men had gone shopping for groceries and other supplies for the group home where they live. Their purchases included several large plants, which left less room for the passengers and their belongings in the vehicle.
According to the arrest affidavit, the accused man told officers he was upset about how much space the purchases were taking up. He claimed his roommate had spoken to him disrespectfully and nudged his side, and he allegedly acknowledged striking the other man during the dispute.
The roommate reportedly told the police he had been hit in the face, but he could not identify exactly what had struck him. He described the object as something hard. The officers who arrived at the store reported that they observed redness on his left cheek.
The affidavit also explained why the men had arranged for a ride. Neither man could drive, so they had used the Uber app to get home with their purchases.
Police arrested the older man following the incident. Court records list the charge as battery on a person 65 or older.
If you or someone you love is suspected of an assault or battery offense, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.